Knock down cabinet



March 2, 1937. G. ROTTMAN KNOCK-DOWN CABINET Filed Feb. 6'} 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 2, 1937. ca. ROTTMAN KNOCK-DOWN CABINET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NVEYNTOR Filed Feb. 6,

(Lazy %T ZRNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to cabinets which may take the form of chests or tall, upright cabinets. The object is to provide structures of the class described which may be set up for use to form a rigid structure but which may be quickly and easily disassembled without the use of tools, so that the various walls and top and bottom of the cabinet may be placed flat against each other to permit the article to be stored in a compact space when not in use, or when it is desired to ship the same from place to place.

The present device is especially useful as a moth-proof cabinet for storing clothing and various other articles where it is desired to have a more substantial structure than those made of cardboard, corrugated board, and when it is desired to have a knock down cabinet rather than one built into a room of a building, in order that a tenant may be supplied with a suitable storage cabinet which will not necessarily become a permanent part of the building structure.

The device is also capable of being made of a suitable size for a bath house which may be knock down in order to be arranged in compact form to be transported in an automobile to a temporary place of use. There are many other purposes for which the invention is adapted to be used.

I have shown the invention embodied in the form of a cabinet and also in the form of chests such as are commonly used as moth-proof containers in homes.

The cabinet is made of panels forming the walls and top and bottom, and these panels have 3 applied to them on their several edges interlocking strips which are adapted to be slid into interlocking engagement so that the side and back walls, top and bottomof the cabinet may all be moved into interlocking engagement by sliding action and they so interlock that the structure as a whole will be rigid when set up for use, without necessarily providing expensive hardware for holding the structure rigid. The article is provided with a door or doors providing access to the interior of the cabinet and where it is desired that the structure be moth-proof, the door and the edges of the cabinet adjacent thereto are formed with overlapping joints. Where the cabinet has side walls greater than the width of the single board, I prefer to form a plurality of boards having interlocking joints for any given Wall of the cabinet. I

The walls are merely flat boards or panels to which the locking strips are attached by gluing or, preferably, nailing, and these Strips are such as may be very inexpensively made by machinery such as by saws or molding cutting machines, thereby making the cost of the cabinet as low as consistent with the structure of the character described. The strips which are at- 5 tached to the panels at their several edges and which co-operate to slidingly engage each other, are adapted to interlock in four directions so that whenthe cabinet is set up the parts cannot collapse or disengage except by a sliding move- 10' ment as between the several walls and the top and bottom members.

If desired, hooks may be employed to prevent the walls from being slid for disengaging them except by one supplied with a key to the door 15 of the cabinet, thus preventing the cabinet from being disassembled and removed by one not authorized.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for dividing the interior of the cab- 20 inet ofi into separate compartments by partitions which may be slid into or out of position.

Other features and advantages will appear in the following detailed description of my invention. 25

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the parts of the cabinet embodying my invention and ready for assembling, 30

Figure 2 is a plan view with the top member broken away to show the interior,

Figure '3 is a vertical, sectional view through the cabinet, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4,

Figure 4 is a front elevation partly broken 35 away,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the form of hinge preferably used in connection with this type of cabinet,

Figure 6 is a front elevation showing the lock- 40 ing device for locking the doors in closed position,

Figure '7 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 'l-l of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a plan View of my invention embodied in the form of a chest, in which view part of the cover is broken away,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 50 Ill-l0 of Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a perspectiveview showing one i of the side panels about to be assembled with the end panels,

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 l2i2 of Figure 14 and showing my invention in another form,

Figure 13 is a perspective View showing the modified form of means for locking the side and end panels which is contained in the structure shown in Figures 12 and 14,

Figure 14 is a plan view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 and in which view the cover is shown in open position, and partly broken away,

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on the line i5-l5 of Figure 14 but with the cover shown in closed position,

Figure 16 is a plan view of another form of my invention in which view the cover is raised and partly broken away,

Figure 17 is a sectional view taken on the line [1-H of Figure 16, but with the cover closed,

Figure 18 is a sectional View taken on the line l8-l8 of Figure 1'7,

Figure 19 is a front elevation with a portion of the door broken away, showing my invention in the form of a cabinet with panels dividing the interior off into separate compartments,

Figure 20 is a sectional view taken on the line 2020 of FigLue 19,

Figure 21 is a sectional view taken on the line 2|-2i of Figure 19,

Figure 22 is a sectional view taken on the line 22--22 of Figure 19, but with the door omitted, and

Figure 23 is a detail sectional View showing the means for attaching the clothes supporting pole to the side walls of the cabinet.

I will first describe the form of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive. The cabinet includes a top member I, a bottom member 2 which is similar to the top member but reversed in position; a. back wall 3, the two side walls 4, 5 and the two doors 5, I. As the top and bottom members are alike except for their position, a description of one will answer for both.

If the cabinet is too large for the top and bottom members to be made of single boards or panels, they may be made of two or more panels having an overlapping joint, as shown at 8 in Figure 1. Around the three edges of the panel there are strips 9, I0, H secured thereto as by gluing, nailing or both, and the strips 9, II have a wall l2 extending at right angles to the panel, a wall l3 extending parallel to the panel, and a wall It extending parallel to the wall I2 with its edge separated from the panel. This construction is carried out around two of the top edges of the'panel so that there is a channel [5 to receive the locking member of the side panels, as will be hereinafter set forth. The back wall consists of the panels 3 having overlapping meeting edges I6 if necessary. It also has cleats H at its upper and lower edges which are adapted to enter against the inside surface of the strip ill on the back of the top member. At each side edge of the back panel there is a groove l9 out along the edge to form an overlapping joint with the corresponding part of the side panels.

The bottom member consists of the panel 20 similar to the top member with the strips 9, If], H arranged around three sides and corresponding with the strips of the top member. There is a cleat 2! of L shape in cross section secured just behind the front edges of both the top and bottom members in order to form abutments for the doors.

Each side wall consists of the panel section 4 or 5, which if of considerable width is formed of separate pieces having an overlapping joint; and the rear edge of each side wall is formed with a groove 22 to co-operate with the groove IQ of the back wall to form an overlapping joint. Where the cabinet is used to store clothes and for things requiring protection against moths, these overlapping joints are necessary.

Along the top edge of each side wall there is a strip 23 glued or nailed thereto and these strips are of L shape in cross section so that there is a wall 24 extending at right angles to the panel of the side wall and another portion 25 extending at right angles thereto or parallel with the wall panel. At the bottom of each side wall there is secured a strip similar to the strip 23 at the top but it is positioned in reverse relation so that the portions 25 of the top and bottom strips face each other.

The doors 6, I are hinged to the front edges of the two side walls by the hinges 26. The left hand door is provided with a reduced edge 28 around four of its sides. The right hand door is also provided with a reduced edge 29 at the top and bottom but the reduced edge 30 is formed opposite to the reduced portion 28 of the left hand door so that when these members meet they will overlap and form a break joint with the two doors lying in the same plane. The upper and lower edges of the doors form an overlapping joint with the cleats 2| secured to the top and bottom members, when the doors are in closed position.

Assuming the parts shown in Figure 1 are to be assembled, the rear wall will first be set upon the bottom member in advance of the rear strip to and it will then be moved back so that the lower cleat l1 enters the groove between the strip it! and the panel 3. The top member may then be placed on the back wall so that the top cleat l1 engages therewith similar to the engagement with the bottom member. The Width of the back wall is such that it lies between the inner sides of the two side strips 9, H on the top and bottom members.

After the back wall has been thus positioned between the top and bottom members, the two side walls are slid into position starting at the front of the top and bottom members and being pushed backwardly with the portion 25 of the L shaped strips 23 travelling in the slots l5 and with the portions 24 of the L. shaped strips travelling between the edges of the members l8 and the panels of the top and bottom members. until the side walls press against the edges of the back wall with the grooves 22 and I9 forming an overlapping joint. When the side walls have been slid into place the cabinet will be completely assembled and ready for use.

If desired, hooks 3| and eyes 32 may be arranged on the inner side of the back wall and on the inner sides of the side walls, the hooks being engaged with the eyes to prevent the side walls from sliding out so that the walls of the cabinet will remain fixed.

When the cabinet has thus been set up it is firm and rigid because the vertical walls are so interlocked with the top and bottom members that they form a rigid body and the walls are held from disengagement in all directions except the direction in which they slide; and they are prevented from moving in this relation by the hooks and eyes.

It will be apparent that the cabinet is inexpensive to make because the strips 9, H), II and the strips 23 may be made in considerable lengths a ures 8 to 11 inclusive.

on automatic machinery and they are very readily applied to the various walls of the cabinet.

1 In order to permit the doors to be removed from the side walls I prefer to use the type of hinge shown in Figure 5. The two hinge plates 32, 33 have the usual loops or ears 34 and a headed pin 35 extends through these loops to secure the plates of the hinge pivotally together.

One of the plates 32 has a tongue 35 formed therefrom with a curved end which lies above the head of the hinge pin 35 and when in this position the hinge pin cannot move out of position. When it is desired to separate the parts of the hinge for the purpose of removing the door, the member 36 is sprung or pressed sidewise to disengage the free end from the path of the hinge pin 35 whereupon the latter can be withdrawn from the loops 34 to separate the members or" the hinge. The same kind of hinge is used for the upper and lower portions of each door.

The lock for securing the doors in closed position is shown in Figures 6 and '7. It consists of a keeper 3'! formed of a plate having two slots 38 parallel to each other adjacent one end of the plate and the strip of metal between these two slots'is bent outwardly from the plane of the plate as shown in Figure 7, to form a loop 39. This plate is secured to one of the doors by nails, screws or other means. The other member of the lock includes the plate 4% which is secured to the other door and it has an oi'lset portion ll provided with a circular flange or boss '22. There is a revolvable member including a knob 43 which is attached to a plate 44 having a circular portion 45 revolving within the boss or flange l2 and a flat portion 46 from which extends the two curved arms #17 which are formed on arcs concentric with the operating knob G3.

As shown in Figure 6 the lock is released. To fasten the lock the knob 43 is turned either to the right or the left. If turned to the right, or clockwise in Figure 6, then the free end of the lower member 47 will pass under the loop 39 and thus lock the door. If the knob is turned counterclockwise in Figure 6, then the free end of the upper locking member ll will pass under the loop 39 and lock the door.

This forms a handy lock because the operator can turn the knob in either direction to secure the door in closed position.

I will here describe my invention as embodied in the form of a chest for the storage of clothing or other articles which may require protection against moths, dust and light, as shown in Fig- This chest consists in part, of the two end walls it the lower edges of which are adapted to rest on the floor and to support the bottom wall raised above the floor. The upper edges of the end walls are provided with a channel 69 so that the depending flange of the cover member may fit into the channel and form an overlapping joint between the cover and the body of the chest to exclude moths, light and air.. The cover, in addition to the flange 56 extending around four sides thereof, has a panel 5| to which the flange members are secured. The end walls have vertically extending grooves or channels 52 adjacent each end, which channels are flaring or dovetail shape, as shown clearly in Figure 11.

The front and rear walls of the chest indicated as 53 and 54 are. adapted to slide in the channels 52 of the end walls; and preferably near the upper and opposite corners of the front and rear walls I provide metal members 55 for locking these walls in the dovetail channels 52. These are shown as formed or stamped from sheet metal in the general shape of a yoke extending around the edge of the respective wall to provide flaring lateral projections 56 adapted to slidingly flt in the dovetail channels 52 and to lock therein to prevent lengthwise separation of the front and rear walls from the end walls. In other words, the front and rear walls are locked to the end walls in every direction except against the vertical sliding movement of the front and rear walls in relation to the end walls.

Both front and rear walls are similar to each other and they are both provided with the metal locking plates, as shown more fully in Figure 8.

The end members or walls have another channel 5'! of dovetail formation running horizontally and near the bottom edges of the end walls; and the wall 58 which forms the bottom of the chest is adapted to slidingly engage in these bottom channels 51 as shown in Figure 9. This bottom wall is also provided with the metal locking members 55 similar to those described above, but they are shown as applied to the middle of the bottom wall as shown in Figure 8. These locking members serve to prevent the bottom wall from pulling out of the dovetail channels 51 of the end walls.

The meeting edges or" the bottom wall and front and back walls are channeled as shown at 59 in Figure 10 is order that the meeting edges of these Walls will have a broken joint to prevent moths, air and dust from entering the chest at this location.

It will be apparent that this form of chest is of knock down construction as the walls may all be separated by a sliding action and they may be packed in flat condition for shipping and storing. In setting up this type of cabinet the front and back walls are assembled by inserting their edges vertically in the channels 52 and sliding them downwardly until the metal locking members 55 enter the channels 52. The bottom wall may then be slid horizontally into the channels 5! of the end walls and when partially inserted, the looking members 55 of the bottom wall will begin to, travel in the dove tail channels 51 so that when the bottom wall is fully in place these locking members will continue to lock the bottom wall and end walls together so that they cannot separate except in the direction of the sliding action described. The walls 53 and 55 are moved down upon the bottom wall after the latter is in position to hold it in place.

The cover has a break-joint connection with the top of the receptacle around the four sides,

so that air, light and moths are excluded from the chest, It will be apparent that in this construction the several walls may be disassembled and packed in flat condition by merely sliding them apart and that when the chest is set up the walls are immovable in every direction except that in which they slide in relation to each other.

I will describe the form of my invention shown in Figures l2, 13, 14, and 15. In this form of the invention the end walls 58 extend forwardly and backwardly of the front and rear walls 59, 50 and they are provided with strips 6! along the four vertical edges, which strips are provided with vertical slots 52. The front and rear walls have cleats 63 disposed vertically at the end edges of these walls, which cleats are adapted to travel or slide vertically in the slots 62 of the members 6| attached to the end walls. Ehese cleats, travelling in the slots 52 lock the front and rear walls to the end walls in three directions.

There are cleats 64 disposed vertically and attached to the inner faces of the end walls to extend parallel to and spaced from the edges of the strips SI and these cleats are adapted to engage; the inner surfaces of the edges of the front and rear walls in order to lock these to the end walls in the direction which they are not locked by the cleats 63 in the slots 62. In other words, the action of the cleats G3 in the slots 62 together with the cleats 64 engaging the inner sides of the front and rear walls serve to lock these walls in every direction except that permitted by the sliding movement.

The bottom wall does not require cleats like the cleats 63 in Figure 13 to hold it in place in one direction because the front and rear walls rest down against the bottom wall and prevent the latter from moving in one direction. The end walls, front and rear walls are reduced in thickness along their top edges and the cover, consisting of the panel 68 and the flange members 69 flt onto the top of the chest, the flange members being channeled as shown at m to fit the top edges of the vertical walls by a break-joint to exclude moths, light and dust.

It will be apparent that in this construction the vertical walls are slid into and out of locking engagement so that the chest may be disassembled and packed in flat condition for shipment or storage. When set up, however, the several walls are so interlocked that they require no bracing other than that shown herein, because the walls are locked in every direction except that in which they slide in relation to each other.

I will next describe the form of my invention shown in Figures 16 to 18 inclusive. In this form of chest the end Walls 70 project forwardly and rearwardly of the front and rear Walls and these projecting portions have attached thereto strips I! provided with L shaped slots "i2 one side of the slot being defined by the surface of the end walls. The front and rear walls have attached to their opposite ends the oppositely positioned cleats 13 which are L shape in cross section and are adapted to slidingly move in the L shape slots 12 of the members H as shown in Figure 16, in order to hold the front and rear walls locked to the end walls in all" directions except one and except for the sliding movement.

I have provided metal locking members on the front and rear walls and the end walls which not only lock the front and rear walls from moving inwardly but also lock them against the sliding movement by which they are assembled.

These locking members are all alike. One part of the locking device consists of a sliding plate 74 having an elongated aperture l5 therein and this plate is slidingly held against the inner surface of the front and rear wall respectively, by a member 16 attached to the respective wall and having a head wider than the slot in order to hold the plate M slidingly against the Wall to which this part of the locking device is attached. The plate has a tongue l! which is adapted to slide into and out of a corresponding aperture formed in the plate 18 which is shown attached to the end walls.

When this device is to be assembled, all of the sliding plates 1 1 on the front and rear walls are slid backwardly to retract their locking tongues 11. The front and rear walls are then slid vertically into position with the cleats l3 travelling in the L shaped channels 12. The bottom wall, which has. flanges 80 on each end may be assembled in advance of the front and rear walls by sliding it into position with the flanges 80 travelling in the slots 81 formed in the strips 19 which are attached to the bottom edges of the end walls as shown in Figure 17. After the bottom wall has been slid into place the front and rear walls are then slid into place in the manner described above, and they will hold the bottom wall from moving upwardly or from disengaging from the strip 19.

After the front and rear walls have been slid into place the several plates 14 will be slid outwardly to project their tongues 11 into the plates '18 whereupon both front and rear walls will be prevented from moving inwardly and they will be prevented from sliding upwardly in relation to the end walls. In other words, the end walls, front and rear walls and bottom walls are all looked in their assembled positions and the chest is rigid in all directions.

The cover consists of the panel 82 having flange strips 83 extending around the four edges and the bottom edges of these flange members have channels 8 3 co-operating with similar channels 85 in the four top edges of the chest to form a break-joint when the cover is in closed position, similar to the construction previously described.

I will here describe the cabinet disclosed in Figures 19 to 22 inclusive. The cabinet shown in these figures is of exactly the same construction as that shown in Figure 1, except for the additional features which I will here describe, and as far as the construction is like Figure 1 the same reference numerals will be used in Figures 19 to 22.

It will be noted that the rear wall, side walls, top and bottom members and the doors correspond with the construction in Figure l. The side walls, however, are provided with an upper, horizontally extending slot 86 out part way through the wall and adapted to receive the end edges of a panel or shelf member 81 slidable longitudinally into the opposite slots 86 of the two side walls. The side walls are also provided with vertical slots 88 to slidingly receive the end edges of the panel 89 therein. The two panels 8?, 89 co-operating with the top member, side and back walls, form a compartment 90 within the interior of the cabinet for the separate storage of various articles such as hats, caps and the like. When the panel 81 is in the position shown in Figure its forward edge supports the vertical panel 89 in its raised position. To gain access to the compartment 93 the panel 81 is moved backwardly a slight extent to disengage the forward edge from under the edge of the panel 89, whereupon this panel will slide down until the cleat Si which is attached to its inner surface, rests on the forward edge of the panel 8? permitting access thereby to the compartment 90 at the front of the cabinet.

The side walls are each provided with a horizontal slot 92 to slidingly receive therein the panel 93. The side walls also have the vertical slots 9 which slidably receive therein the end edges of a vertical panel 95. These two panels co-operating with the rear and side walls and the bottom member form a compartment 96 which is a subdivision of the interior of the cabinet, which compartment may be used for separately storing underwear, blankets and other articles which may be folded and placed within this compartment. Access may be had to this compartment by sliding the panel 93 forwardly.

In order to permit the insertion of the vertical panels 89, 95 into their respective slots, the side walls are reduced in thickness throughout the portion 91 and extending from the line 98 which is in line with the upper edge of the slot 86 and at the bottom terminating at the line 99 which is in line with the lower edge of the slot 92. This reduced area extends backwardly from the forward edge of the side walls to the line I99 which is in line with the rear edges of both vertical slots 88, 94. It will be obvious that either vertical panel 89 or 95 may be inserted between the side walls with the ends of the panel moving in the reduced area 91 until the panel rests against the rear edge I99 of this area, whereupon the panel 89 may be slid upwardly into the slot 88 and the panel 95 may be slid downwardly into the slot 94. This construction permits the use of sliding panels to form independent compartments within the interior of the cabinet without the use of cleats attached to the side Walls, as the panels engage in the several slots which are less expensive to produce than a cleat construction and, in addition, the side walls are flush throughout their inner surfaces except for the area 91.

It will be understood that the space I9I between the upper and lower compartments 99, 98 may be used for storage of clothing such as garments hung on suitable hangers within said compartment.

In Figures 19, 20, and 23 I have shown a bar I93 mounted between the side walls to support clothes hangers thereon in the compartment I9I. I have shown strips I99 nailed or otherwise secured against the inner sides of the two side walls and each has a socket I'9'I to partly receive therein the sleeves I94, there being one such sleeve mounted on each end of the bar I93. This sleeve is shown as formed with a downwardly extending tongue I95 which slides vertically into the slot I91 formed by cutting out a pocket in the strip I96. The tongue I95, therefore lies in the pocket I91 between the strip I98 and the adjacent wall of the cabinet.

There is another tongue I98 which I have shown as formed from the same metal as the sleeve and this projects from the inner end of the sleeve in a diagonal position, and its lower end is adapted to engage under a loop or staple I99 which is fastened to the strip I98.

The bar I93 with the sleeves mounted on its opposite ends is moved into position so that the sleeves lie partly over the upper ends of the strips I99 and the bar is then moved downwardly so, that the tongues I95 move into the pockets I91 and the lower end of the tongues I98 slides under the staples I99 until the sleeve rests on the top of the sockets I I9.

The bar I93 in this position will serve to support ordinary clothes hangers hooked thereon. The bar will also act as a brace between the side walls of the cabinet to steady the same.

I have shown handles I92 attached to the panels 81, 93 to facilitate sliding the same. This cabinet, the same as that shown in Figure 1, is adapted to be locked down by disengaging the various vertical walls and doors from the top and bottom members and folding the whole cabinet into compact, flat condition. When the cabinet is to be disassembled the several panels 81, 89, 93, 95 are all slid out of their various slots in the side walls so that these panels may also be stacked in fiat condition against the various sections of the cabinet.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A knock-down cabinet including top and bottom walls, side and back walls, and means for slidably securing said walls in assembled position to form a compartment, and a door for closing said compartment, said side walls having horizontal slots extending inwardly from the open side of the cabinet, vertical slots disposed adjacent the open side of the cabinet and communicating with said horizontal slots, panels slidable in said horizontal and vertical slots and co-operating with the walls of said receptacle to form a compartment within the main compartment of said receptacle, said side walls being reduced in thickness adjacent the open side thereof to. permit said vertical panels to be moved into alignment with said vertical slots.

2. A knock-down cabinet including top and bottom walls, side and back walls, and means for slidably securing said walls in assembled position to form a compartment, and a door for closing said compartment, said side walls each having a plurality of horizontal slots extending inwardly from the open side of the cabinet, each of said side walls having vertical slots adjacent the open side of the cabinet and communicating with said horizontal slots, a plurality of horizontal panels sliding in said horizontal slots, a plurality of panels sliding in said vertical slots, said side walls being reduced in thickness adjacent the open side of said cabinet between said horizontal slots to permit said vertical panels to be moved into alignment with said vertical slots.

GEORGE ROTTMAN. 

